


Always Here

by chippdhearts



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 18:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chippdhearts/pseuds/chippdhearts
Summary: DebTam College AU (I guess?)For AHS: gay cult. I hate you all.





	Always Here

Winter in New York City means that every single coffee shop on campus is packed. Tammy had a mutual friend who ran a small bistro a couple of blocks south of the main campus and the place was usually relatively quiet. The blonde has spent a couple of hours between lectures in there studying. She is packing up her things so she could rush off to her next class. She stands abruptly knocking her textbook off the table in the process. Just as she’s about to pick it up the woman in front of her makes eye contact which leaves her slightly flustered. The brunette bends down and retrieves the book from the floor. “I think you dropped this.”

“Thank you.” Tammy holds her gaze and is completely transfixed. She’s not sure what compels her to keep talking but she does. “I’m late for class but I’ll be here tomorrow at 2 if you want to meet.” Then without waiting for a response she rushes off to her next class. 

The shop is busier than usual the next day and every time the door opens Tammy could swear that her heart stops. She’s been waiting for an hour now, granted she did arrive 20 minutes early just in case but with each minute that passes she thinks maybe the brunette, who’s name she doesn’t even know, isn’t going to show up. After all why would she? They know nothing about each other but Tammy can’t shake the feeling that she was supposed to meet this woman. She’s not someone who believed in love at first sight, not until she saw her. She’s about to get up and order a latte to go when the door swings open and there she is. Tammy can see the brunettes eyes scanning the room until they lock with her own. She walks over and takes the seat opposite Tammy in the corner booth. 

“I wasn’t sure you would still be here. I’m Debbie by the way.” 

“I wasn’t sure you would actually come. I mean you don’t even know me and you’re probably really busy with other stuff. I don’t even know if you have classes or a job or…”

“Stop.” Tammy is forced to catch her breath but she can’t help herself, she’s really nervous. 

“I’m talking too much aren’t I? I tend to do that a lot. Especially if someone is making me nervous, not that you… I just mean… that you’re really beautiful and I - oh wow I just said that out loud… and I’m just… me and I’m… I should really just…”

“Stop talking?” Tammy can feel her cheeks getting redder by the second. This is horrible, this is all wrong. She feels her breath start to get shallow and she’s gripping the edge of the table a little too tightly. This apparently doesn’t go unnoticed as Debbie gently puts her hand on Tammy’s. “Why don’t you start with your name?”

“Right. I’m Tammy.” Her breath is starting to even out once again. She’s still staring at Debbie, trying to gauge how she’s feeling but she can’t read her at all. She’s so well put together. 

“Well Tammy, of course I was going to come. Partly because I wanted to see if you would show up but mostly because I think you’re beautiful too.” Once again the blonde is blushing. 

Once Tammy has calmed down from the initial shock and she is feeling much less anxious the pair end up talking for hours. The conversation is easy, as if they’ve known each other for years, and they make each other laugh. Tammy learns that Debbie is in her final year which makes her about 3 years older. Debbie has an event to get to that evening so the pair arrange to meet again next week.   
The meetups become a weekly event. When the weather picks up a bit they agree to start doing picnics in the park. It’s early spring and they are in central park together sat under a tree in a lesser visited area of the park. Debbie shifts across the blanket and places her hand on Tammy’s thigh. The blonde’s eyes widen and she can feel her breath hitch right before Debbie leans into her and presses their lips together. They spend the next couple of months enjoying each others company and just being themselves.

Finals come around in a flash and they are both busy studying hard so they see much less of each other. Once Debbie has finished her final exam she puts down the deposit on the apartment that she’s been eyeing for weeks. She’s nervous when she invites Tammy over. She’s printed an extra set of keys and she has a bottle of Tammy’s favourite tequila on the kitchen counter. “Will you move in with me?” 

There is no hesitation before Tammy eagerly answers “yes.” That night they christen all 5 rooms of the apartment before falling asleep in their new bed wrapped in each others arms. 

When Tammy graduates 3 years later she goes straight to 5th avenue to pick up the ring she has put aside. She’s asked Debbie to meet her back at coffee shop where they first met. She finally asks Debbie to marry her. She’s never wanted anything in her life more, she’s wanted it since the day she first laid eyes on Debbie in this same shop. Debbie of course says yes. 

They are married in the early fall in central park on the bride near the boat house. Even though it’s not really legal they don’t really care. They’ve promised to love each other forever and that’s more than enough for them. 

It’s their one year anniversary and Tammy has planned the day so she will get back earlier than usual. She’s on her way back from Long Island with a shipment Debbie ordered. The brunette is at home and she’s got the TV on in the background as she does some calculations for her next plan. That’s when she hears it. “2 truck collision on the Long Island Expressway.” Her heart sinks. 

Debbie is scrambling for her phone and she’s trying to reach Tammy but there is no answer. She looks up the nearest hospital to the crash site and runs downstairs to hail a cab there. When she settles into the back of the cab she notices that she has a voicemail. 7:47am. It’s from Tammy. 

She presses play and puts the phone to her ear. “Morning love! I know you’re probably not awake yet but I wanted to say happy anniversary.” Debbie shuts the phone off and puts it on the seat next to her. She’s not ready to hear this. She doesn’t even know where Tammy is right now, if she’s even alive. Her phone starts to buzz and she’s about to grab it when she hears the radio. 

“Reports have come in from the collision on the Long Island expressway earlier today. We can now confirm that there were no survivors.” 

“Stop the car please.” The man pulls over at the next intersection, but that journey feels like a lifetime to Debbie. She thrusts a wad of bills into his hand before stumbling out the door and onto the pavement. She walks all 43 blocks back to their apartment. When she gets to the door she realises that it’s now her apartment. Eventually she manages to steady herself enough to unlock the door. 

She makes her way into the bedroom and sits down on Tammy’s side of the bed. She grabs her pillow and holds it tight as she reaches for her phone. She presses play on the voicemail. 

“Morning love!” Debbie can feel her tears falling already, Tam sounded so happy. “I know you’re probably not awake yet but I wanted to say happy anniversary. I love you so much and I feel so lucky that I get to spend every day of the rest of my life by your side.” the brunette is sobbing now as she buries herself in the duvet that still smells of Tammy. “We are about to set off so I’ll see you when I get back, I can’t wait for tonight.” She swears she can see Tammy wink as she says that. Debbie can hear a muffled voice now. She wants to scream down the phone, tell Tammy not to go. She wishes that she had been awake and answered the phone, more than anything she wishes she had never sent Tammy on this job in the first place. She’s snapped out of her thoughts by Tammy’s voice back on the recording. “Got to go now, but Deb - I love you and I miss you.” Then the recording cuts off.


End file.
